Demon of the Hidden Mist
by EvilMentalHamster
Summary: Zabuza's account of the homicide in Kirigakure's trials.


I had killed many of the students already, and only a few remained. Blood dripped from my hands and from my sword; this was the sign of success. The pit in which I stood was filled with the dead bodies of my contemporaries. I stepped through them, not minding about stepping on their bodies. They were simply empty shells now anyway, so it didn't bother me.

I noticed one body on the floor squirm. I marched over to him with my sword aimed towards him. With the side of my sword, I turned his face to look at mine. Blood seeped from his mouth which indicated to me that I had stabbed him. I had been in such a rush that I had forgotten but looking down at his stomach confirmed that he had been stabbed. Blood caked his belly and around the gaping hole that was left… it was interesting; it was a wonder he was able to survive this pain.

"Tell me your name," I whispered as I kneeled down to his face.

He coughed and more blood spluttered from his mouth. His eyes blankly stared at me.

"Tell me your name," I said again.

"Je- Je- Jeimuzu," He rasped.

Talking obviously gave him great pain so I decided not to ask him anymore questions. He may have been my 'enemy' but I did have respect for him. After all he had tried to gain the same thing as me. He wanted to become a proper ninja of Kirigakure only he had not succeeded and soon I will have succeeded.

I looked around me, making sure that I wasn't going to become a victim. I bent down so my mouth was close to his ear.

"Listen to me Jeimuzu," I hushed "I'm going to end your life now, so you don't have to experience this pain anymore,"

His eyes widened in shock at what I said, but the slight nod confirmed that he agreed with what I was about to do.

I stood up and raised my sword over my head. As I brought the sword down hard onto his neck I watched him close his eyes tightly and bite his lip. In a few seconds his head was removed and his pain was over.

It was time to move on to the surviving graduates. There couldn't be many left; the floor was basically a carpet of cadavers. I filled the pit with thick mist and I started my hunt; I had already spotted the young girl hiding among the bodies and I needed to catch her unaware in case she was planning an ambush. I listened intently and heard the faint scratching against the dusty, bloody ground. She must be panicking and trying to keep herself from whimpering or crying; unfortunately for her however I could hear her every single movement, no matter how small. I had to preserve this feeling. This predatory feeling alongside the rush of adrenaline as I hunt my prey.

I started my silent approach towards the unsuspecting victim, for enjoyment I allowed myself to step on someone's finger creating a cracking sound. I imagined the girl's reaction to this. No doubt she would have quickly looked up in fear and clutched at her kunai harder, probably started trying to calm herself down by muttering something over and over. In fact I knew she was muttering, I could hear her muttering. The mist became thicker at my will in an attempt to heighten her fear.

I was only a few feet away from her now. I estimated that she had her back to me or at least slightly to the side.

This was it. I stood right next to her now, but she was none the wiser. The shock tactic was probably the most exhilarating tactic at this moment in time. I would clear the mist in an instant and she wouldn't know what to think. She would look around and then she would notice me standing there. Angst would overcome her and she would be unable to move. I smiled at this thought and removed the mist in the air.

As I thought, the girl looked up quickly in surprise. I could only guess the thoughts running through her head at this time; were they of hope or of complete anguish?

I was standing directly behind her. I watched as she moved some of her long red hair out from her mouth with her left hand. Her right hand which clutched the kunai pushed her up onto her knees. She was certainly taking a risk; what if I didn't already know she was here? She was leaving herself in plain sight. It was an interesting sight, watching a deer trying to hide and survive the stalking of the deadly lone wolf. The deer didn't know what to do; the fear made the decisions for her, for this gentle doe.

I waved the sword gently over her head creating a slight breeze. She hardly reacted, only stroked her hair slightly as if subconsciously irritated with the breeze. She continued to watch out in front of her, determined to believe that I was somewhere else. Maybe she knew. Maybe she knew I was behind her and simply didn't want to confront her fate. Fate was a funny thing, you may try to hide from it or ignore it but it always got you. You can't directly change fate; it found a way to get back at you. Her thinking was faulty if she believed that not looking at me would change her fate, all it accomplished was alter the way she was going to meet it. Her destiny was to die today and my destiny was to deliver her death, and unlike her I planned to follow the script of fate.

I silently dipped my sword into a nearby corpse, bathing the blade in the dead boy's blood. I brought my sword above the girl once again and waited for the drip. Exactly two seconds went by and droplet fell from the very tip of my blade. It buried itself into the girl's matted hair. The contrast between blood red and the red of the girl's her was fascinating. A darker colour onto a lighter colour always looked interesting, so noble.

She reacted to the drop of blood. Her left hand jumped up to her hair and she wiped the blood away. She took a moment to study the substance on her fingers and then subsequently trembled. Slowly she turned around to look at me, when I appeared in the corner of her eye she twisted around to me face on. Falling back onto her heels she gazed at me. I complimented her gaze with my own to create a perfect scenario for a slaughter. It had always been my reasoning that creating a personal field between the victim and yourself gave the whole process more reason. Why kill if there is no reason? To kill without reason is a barbaric approach and is not the correct way to end a life. When I cut through all the others, I personalised each move as a show of respect. To wildly swing through them would not have been right, I needed to show them before they died that they were beaten by someone better and more skilled than themselves.

"…Zabuza." The girl said.

I cocked my head at her "You know my name?"

She gave one nod "Yes,"

"I'm afraid I do not know yours," I admitted.

Her eyes narrowed "I wouldn't expect you to,"

I rested the sword on my shoulder "You know you are going to die," I stated.

"Yes," Was her answer.

"Are you not going to fight back?" I asked her.

She shook her head.

I moved my sword down facing the floor. The blade facing her body.

"Please," She said quietly "Make it quick,"

She raised her head up, showing her bare neck.

"A beheading?" I muttered.

She did not answer which I took as a confirmation.

This was the moment that I had waited for with this girl. Admittedly she had welcomed death more than I had expected but this was just another soul that I was able to claim, so it mattered not how she took the assassination.

I raised the sword and swung it swiftly towards her fragile neck. The blade sliced through her skin easily, split her muscles and snapped her neck bones, it then carried on through the other side of her neck and made the same satisfying noises of success.

Her head bounced on the ground slightly, raising dust from where it hit. After a second it nestled in the ground, blood trickling from the stub that was left. From the body, blood spewed out violently. With a thump the body hit the ground and lay next to its head.

"A few more left," I muttered.

They couldn't be far, I wouldn't be surprised if some had witnessed what had just happened. Were they about to sneak up on me? Were they that foolish?

I wouldn't allow them the chance, I filled the pit with mist again. A sound came from behind me. Another victim was on the cards.


End file.
